Wolves could have versatile, dangerous lineup combinations

Oh how far the Timberwolves have come since opening the 2015-16 season with a starting lineup of Ricky Rubio, Andrew Wiggins, Tayshaun Prince, Karl-Anthony Towns and Kevin Garnett.

Gone are the old pros KG and Prince and in are Zach Lavine and Gorgui Dieng.

PG: Ricky Rubio

SG: Zach LaVine

SF: Andrew Wiggins

PF: Karl-Anthony Towns

C: Gorgui Dieng

That's according to Wolves beat writer Jerry Zgoda, who also tracked the next five off the bench to be Kris Dunn, Shabazz Muhammad, Brandon Rush, Cole Aldrich and Nemanja Bjelica. Now that's a potentially powerful lineup.

As the Pioneer Press notes, head coach Tom Thibodeau plans to use versatile lineups that can go big or small.

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"When you have guys that play multiple positions, it allows you to play big; it allows you to play small," Thibodeau said Monday. "I still believe that size is important, but I like to have the ability to go small. I think there’s times you can play two point guards together, but having those wings, you can’t have enough of the wings."

But there's a catch. Outside of Ricky Rubio, the Wolves don't have another veteran penciled into the starting lineup. Canis Hoopus put is best by comparing the ages in the Wolves' projected starting lineup to the ages of the Shane Battier-led Duke basketball teams in 2001, when they started three seniors and two juniors.

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Rubio is still only 25 while the rest of the starting lineup is made up of second- and- third-year players.